


beneath the milky twilight

by masqueerade



Series: #thallenfallweek2015 [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 'ghosts exist' is all and I feel like that would pretty much fit in canon tbh, (it's minor but I shouldn't not tag it I don't think), Canonical Character Death, Ghosts, I'm sorry I don't know why, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Sad, cisco's ill-defined powers allow him to sort of communicate with a ghost why not, it's supposed to be 'supernatural au' but it's not really very au, set somewhere in between seasons I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-28 20:25:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5104613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masqueerade/pseuds/masqueerade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver is the only person who doesn't hesitate to believe him when Barry tells him his house is being haunted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	beneath the milky twilight

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4 - Monster Mash

“Hey Oliver,” God, he sounded exhausted, “Thanks for coming.”

Oliver stepped into Barry’s house, eyes briefly scanning the room, taking in the dirty plates stacked on a table, the mail not even picked up off the floor. He’d seen worse, but… “Are you doing okay?”

Barry huffed, a humourless laugh, “Yeah.” Oliver looked him over, taking in the deep circles under his eyes, his rough stubble, “I mean, you know,” the way he was scratching the back of his hand raw.

Oliver took his hand firmly, stopping him, “Hey,” the other man looked him in the eye for the first time, shoulders relaxing just a fraction, “I’m here to help, okay.”

~*~

Barry hadn’t really been sleeping since the singularity, and the last few weeks he’d been spending a lot of time away from Central City altogether. More than occasionally he’d come to Oliver’s house in Ivy Town just to sleep on the couch, speeding off in the morning before Felicity or he even woke up.

Then he’d told them he thought his house was haunted, and this is why he wasn’t sleeping there anymore.

Felicity had scoffed, Barry had been hurt, and Oliver hadn’t seen him since.

Until he’d called yesterday, asking for his help.

“I know it’s a hassle, but… no-one else really seems to believe me.” He’d said, sounding hurt, sounding _betrayed,_ by his friends and family. Oliver knew this was a sore point for him, he’d spent his whole life being disbelieved about his dad’s innocence, and the Reverse-Flash. You’d think they’d have a little more faith in him by now.

So he’d agreed, got on his bike, and now here he was, in Barry’s house, preparing to hold a séance.

~*~

“Hey Ollie, my man.” Cisco was already there, placing chairs round a table in the centre of the room. “…Oliver.” He amended under the man’s gaze.  Turning to Barry, Oliver quirked an eyebrow up, getting a non-committal shrug in reply. “Wouldn’t have expected the Starling City Vigilante to believe in ghosts.”

“Cisco…” Barry sighed.

“You wouldn’t believe half the things I’ve seen.” He turned back to Barry, “I thought they didn’t believe you.” He said softly.

“I didn’t really, at first,” Cisco began before Barry had chance to reply, “But I came by to make sure Barry was okay and… I get a really weird vibe from this place.” He shuddered over-dramatically. “So, I’m here to help.”

“Thank you Cisco.” Barry mumbled. “Both of you, it… I’m glad you’re here.”

~*~

They didn’t start until dusk. Barry explained that the phenomena had only happened at night, so it made sense to wait. He was anxious the whole afternoon, so they went for a walk while Cisco ‘got his vibe on’. Barry didn’t really say much, so Oliver told him about Felicity’s attempts at cooking, which made him frown, and that he’d started to enjoy jogging, which made him smile, small but genuinely.

By the time they arrived back at the house, Cisco was lighting the last few candles he’d placed around the room. The three of them sat down at the table and held hands at Cisco’s request, because “this is how they do it in the movies.” Barry’s hand felt cold in Oliver’s, so he squeezed it reassuringly.

There was a distant knock. Oliver felt Barry tense.

“Whoa, okay. Was that the thing? Hadn’t even started yet.” Cisco laughed nervously. “Alright, here goes. Spirit! We, ah… beseech you to make your presence known!” Nothing happened.

Cisco continued on in the same slightly melodramatic vein for a while until Barry interrupted him with a sigh. “Cisco, thank you, but I don’t think-,” he stopped short as the candles guttered in a sharp breeze.

Nobody spoke or moved for a second. “Cisco.” Oliver prompted, eyes not leaving Barry.

“Right. Spirit! Um, what do you want?” Again nothing happened. “Nah I don’t think it’s interested in listening to me. Barry, you want to give it a shot?”

“Um, okay.” Oliver could feel his hand shaking, nearly vibrating probably, “I… hello?” The table shook slightly, “What do… what do you want? Why are you here? Why are you doing this?” He was yelling now, the table shaking harder and harder. “…why won’t you just leave me alone?” he added softly.

The candles blew out.

“Barry I’ve got something.” Cisco spoke seriously, “It’s… confusing, bits and pieces… pain… heat and cold, at the same time? Rain and a feeling of, triumph, I guess. Disgust and coffee. Sweat and, uh, arousal…?”

Oliver turned to see Barry’s eyes shining with tears. “It… it’s Eddie.”

~*~

They took a break, and Barry told Oliver about Eddie. About how he helped protect him from Captain Cold and Heatwave. About them meeting in the rain when he caught Iris’ mugger. About his distaste for the amount of sugar Barry had in his coffee.

About training together.

“He’d fix me with this look, and say ‘harder’, and I-,” he swallowed loudly, “I didn’t know he was… you know.” he was blushing. “I… I liked him, but I never… we never…”

Oliver placed his hands on Barry’s shoulders and looked him in the eye. His shoulders shook slightly, and stray tears rolled down his face. Oliver briefly resented the rest of his friends for not being here. “Barry, listen to me. This is awful, and you have my every sympathy, but you’ve been given an opportunity here. You have the opportunity to tell him how you feel, what you want him to know. You have the opportunity to say a proper goodbye.”

~*~

Oliver had offered to wait outside, but Barry had insisted. They were just sat on the sofa now, but Barry’s hand still held his tightly. He couldn’t take his eyes off him as he spoke.

“Eddie, I… I’m sorry. I should have told you how I f- feel about you. Eddie, you… you’re amazing. You’re funny, and kind, and so brave. I couldn’t do what you do. I fight crime, sure, but I never could without my speed. You’re fucking hot, as well.”

Oliver smiled.

“I… I’m so glad I met you, and got to have you in my life. Every minute I spent with you was a minute well spent.”

“Barry,” Cisco began, gently, “He… Eddie’s sorry too. It’s hard, it’s not words exactly, but there’s… he regrets not telling you too, and… he’s proud of you? And admires you. And… is aroused by you.”

Barry blushed. “Oh, uh, sorry Cisco.”

“It’s fine Barry, seriously. A little weird, but fine.” He smiled genuinely. “He… enjoyed your company, and will miss you.”

Barry’s hand clenched hard round Oliver’s. “Wait, I lo… Eddie I love you.”

There was a moment before Cisco spoke, and Oliver realised he was holding back tears himself. “He loves you too, Barry.”

Another moment, and Cisco nodded. It was done. Eddie was gone.

Barry collapsed into Oliver’s chest, tears seeping into his shirt as he wrapped his arms tightly round him.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I wrote sad death fic. like I didn't get enough of that shipping harry potter/cedric diggory way back when. I'm so upset.
> 
> title is half a line from the song Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer because, I don't really know, it feels right to me
> 
> anyway yeah I've skipped day three for now because I've still got nothing tbh. and I will probably not get anything more finished until at least Monday now probably. /maybe/ something for free day tomorrow, I don't have a lot of work to do, so. it could happen.  
> 


End file.
